The People's Republic of China holds the Presidency of the Security Council during the month of October 2008.

Under the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council is conferred on the primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security. The Council is composed of fifteen members. China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members of the Council. The other ten members of the Council are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. The current non-permanent members are Belgium, Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Indonesia, Italy, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Panama, South Africa and Viet Nam. Each of the members assumes the presidency for a month at a time on a rotational basis.

As Security Council President, Ambassador ZHANG Yesui, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, has the following duties:

presiding over formal and informal meetings of the Security Council;

consulting with Security Council and other UN Members who may wish to bring an issue before the Council;

speaking to the press on behalf of the Security Council in order to express the general consensus of the members on a given issue;

speaking on behalf of the Security Council at special meetings or seminars.